Hair loss has become common among people, especially adults. It can affect the confidence and self-esteem of a person. The problem of hair loss can be dealt with efficiently if we take the necessary steps. When it comes to treating your body, going natural is the best way.
In this article, we will be discussing one such natural remedy for preventing hair loss: by taking Evening Primrose Oil or EPO.
Once you reach a particular age, hair loss is bound to happen, and there is no way you can escape from that. At an average rate, a person loses about 50-100 hairs every day. The presence of bald patches and thin hair is an indication of hair loss.
There are many ways through which we can limit hair loss. But in any remedial treatments, the first thing to understand is the real cause behind the problem. So let’s have a brief look at the significant reasons why you are running out of hair!!
Causes of Hair Loss
Since there are different types of hair loss, finding the actual cause can be tricky at times. Hair loss due to breakage of hair shafts is different from hair loss due to reduced hair growth. There is a popular myth that hair loss occurs due to an unhealthy diet, but it shouldn’t always be the reason. Sometimes this can happen due to the genetic makeup or because of the aging process.
Usually, people around the age of 30-40 will suffer from thinning of hair leading to breakage, and this can be due to hormonal deficiencies, emotional stress, or in some cases, pregnancy and menopause can also lead to unpredictable hair loss. Apart from that, thyroid disease and anemia are found to cause hair loss.
Another primary reason for hair loss can be due to the overuse of cosmetic products. The more artificial moisturizers or conditioners you use, the more damage it brings for the hair. They might give you the style and look, but in the long run, they are not suitable for the health of hair.
Now that we understood what causes hair loss let’s see how we can deal with them and probably stop hair breakouts.
Evening Primrose Oil – Benefits and How to Use It
Extracted from the evening primrose plants found mainly in parts of North America and Europe, it got this name since the flowers of this plant usually open up in the evening.
Evening Primrose oil has a high quantity of fatty acid called GLA, and it is their presence that contributes to the oil’s amazing healing feature.
The abundance of good fatty acids in evening primrose oil is also found to be influential in preventing cracking of nails and thereby keeping them healthy. They are capable of nourishing the scalp, hence can be used in the treatment of a variety of hair problems. In this article, we will be dealing in detail on how evening primrose oil prevents hair loss.
How It Prevents Hair Loss?
The nutrients present in the oil are found to be high stimulants for hair growth. It is the presence of GLA(Gamma Linolenic Acid) that is found to be the reason behind its property of preventing hair loss.
It is assumed that for positive results, they need to be applied to the hair on a routine basis. Though considered as a safe bet, evening primrose oil does show some side effects like headache or stomachache in some people.
For people suffering from hair loss, multiple vitamins are what they need most, and evening primrose oil can provide them these. For instance, if a woman is losing more hair compared to their counterparts – men, it can be due to the exaggerated conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone at the hair follicle. Evening primrose oil is more than capable enough to act as an inhibitor for this conversion.
How To Use Evening Primrose Oil?
Evening primrose oil is capable of penetrating deep into the layers of hair and work their way up from the hair roots. But care must be taken before applying them. Follow these simple steps to make sure you have a great experience trying evening primrose oil.
- The best and most straightforward method is to apply the oil directly into the scalp.
- Make sure you do this on a routine basis for at least a week.
- Once you apply the oil, wait for a specific period so that the oil will penetrate deep.
- Yet another effective method is the usage of evening primrose oil in the form of capsules or pills.
They are also found to be effective in dealing with dandruff’s and other related bacterial and fungal infections.
Side Effects of Evening Primrose Oil
When compared to the massive benefits of evening primrose oil, the side effects are minimal. Till now, only minor side effects have been reported by people.
Primrose oil may increase the danger of excessive bleeding among people who take anticoagulants (aimed at reducing the ability of the blood to clot). They may also lead to the threat of seizures as well as nausea and vomiting in many people.
Did you know? Everybody sheds between 40-150 strands of hair per day.
Yet another significant side effect of evening primrose oil is that in extreme cases, they can lead to the rapid growth of nails. The presence of fatty acids is what prevents the nails from breaking out, thereby aiding the growth of nails at a quick rate.
Unlike all other herbal oils, evening primrose oil is not approved by the FDA since it is considered as a herb dietary supplement and not as drugs. Hence before releasing them in the market, they are not made to undergo stringent tests. So care must be taken before using them for personal needs.
3 Popular Evening Primrose Oils, According to Reviews and Rating:
- NOW Foods Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg, 250 Softgels
- Source Naturals Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg, 90 Softgels
- Real Herbs Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg Supplement, 60 Softgels
Conclusion
In summary, evening primrose oil is one of the easiest and effective ways to deal with hair loss. If you take medication for blood-related disorders, it is advised to consult a physician before using it as an overdose of evening primrose oil can lead to various sorts of side effects.
Does primrose capsules work as good as the oil and Do I still need to take fish oil?
Cheers
It’s really wonderful to see you are using primrose oil and enjoying its wide range of benefits. I would recommend you to continue using oil as directly, because they can work deep from the hair roots. However if you are looking for quick results, it is perfectly fine to take 1 pill a day. Anything more than that is not necessary.
About fish oil capsules.
Yes, it can be used without any worries, as it has literally no side effects. However I would suggest you to follow 1 pill for a particular period of time, either primrose capsule or fish oil capsule.
I’m currently taking Omega 3 capsules as my daily supplement. Can I add Primrose capsule to my daily routine?
We are delighted to hear from you Ross.
Regarding your query, Well omega 3 capsules carries more nutrient elements compared to primrose capsules. Hence I would recommend you to continue using omega 3 capsules. However, there is no problem in using both of them together. Having said that using them together won’t really improve the effects.
When it comes to Omega-3 and Evening primrose oil, you must also consider the balance between the two. While an optimal ratio has not been determined yet, it’s always good to increase the omega-3s in your diet and reduce omega-6 fatty acid(primrose) intake.
I have a really itchy scalp. I think I’ve tried everything going so I’m pleased to have come across this page. Thank you for the info, I’ll try this then come back in a month and let you know if my condition improves!
I have applied evening primrose on my head and kept it on all day. It’s night time but I feel a sensational tingle on my scalp. Is it normal to feel that?
Hello, I have been wanting to try evening primrose for my scalp treatment but was wondering if I can also take one capsule of the evening primrose and still use this for on my scalp. Any help would be appreciated.